International Trade Highlights: On October 9, the USDA World Agriculture Outlook Board (WAOB) released its monthly World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates report. According to the report, total world meat production for 2015 and 2016 is forecast to be higher than last month. Beef production during 2015 is predicted to total 23.9 million pounds, which is 1.0 percent higher than the September estimate, due to raised slaughter of fed cattle in the second half of 2015 and heavier carcass weights. However, this was 1.9 percent lower than 2014. Beef production in 2016 is expected to increase to 25.0 million pounds, as cattle slaughter and carcass weights in the first half of are projected higher. Beef imports during 2015 are unchanged from last month but are up 16.6 percent over last year, amounting to 3.4 million pounds. Projections for beef imports during 2016 are also unchanged. Beef exports for 2015 are expected to reach 2.3 million pounds, down 1.1 percent from September, as demand is projected to remain relatively weak. Also, this is 11.3 percent lower than last year. During 2016, beef exports are forecast to be lower equaling 2.4 million pounds. Meanwhile, WAOB predicts pork production to total 24.6 million pounds in 2015, which is slightly higher than September and 7.6 percent higher than the same period a year ago, as the pace of hog slaughter in the remainder of 2015 is expected to be higher. During 2016, pork production is projected to increase 1.4 percent over 2015, totaling 24.9 million pounds. USDA’s Quarterly Hogs and Pigs estimated less of a decline in sows farrowing during JuneAugust than indicated in prior intentions and farrowing intentions into early 2016 support an increase in forecast pork production. Pork imports for 2015 are expected to equal 1.1 million pounds, almost 1.0 percent more than the September estimate and 9.8 percent more than last year. Pork imports during 2016 are predicted to fall 9.7 percent from 2015 to 1.0 million pounds. During 2015, pork exports are forecast to remain steady from last month but are expected to rise 2.9 percent over last year to 5.0 million pounds, as a small increase in third quarter 2015 imports is predicted based on recent trade data. Projections for 2016 pork exports are expected to total 5.2 million pounds, 4.5 percent higher than 2015. To obtain the entire report, go to the WOAB website at http://www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde/.

Recently, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) published U.S. red meat export and imports statistics for August 2015. According to the data, U.S. exports of beef and veal cuts and beef variety meats during August totaled 84,169 MT. This was a 8.5 percent lower than the previous month and was 17.9 percent lower than August 2014. More specifically, exports of fresh, chilled beef equaled 25,101 MT, which was 9.4 percent less than the previous month and was 20.9 percent less than August 2014. Likewise, exports of frozen beef were 14.4 percent lower than the previous month and were 25.2 percent lower than August 2014, equaling 30,487 MT. U.S. beef variety meat exports during August totaled 25,227 MT, which was unchanged from the previous month but was down 2.1 percent from August 2014. Total year-to-date beef variety meat exports were 9.3 percent below a year ago, amounting to 200,196 MT. During August, the U.S. exported 16,590 MT of beef to Japan. This was down 20.9 percent from the previous month. Year-to-date beef exports to Japan totaled 146,575 MT, 9.0 percent less than last year. Japan was the largest beef export market for the U.S. with 20.8 percent of the total. Beef exports to Mexico during August fell 5.2 percent from July to 16,756 MT. Total year-to-date beef exports to Mexico were 8.4 percent lower than a year ago, amounting to 142,535 MT. During August, the U.S. exported 10,148 MT of beef to Canada, which was 19.0 percent lower than the previous month. Year-to-date beef exports to Canada were 11.4 percent lower than a year ago, amounting to 85,197 MT. Overall, U.S. total year-to-date beef and veal and beef variety meat exports equaled 703,235 MT, 11.0 percent less than the same period a year ago.

U.S. exports of pork cuts and pork variety meats during August totaled 156,861 MT, which was down 3.7 percent from the previous month and was down 1.4 percent from August 2014. More specifically, fresh, chilled pork exports totaled 60,414 MT, which was 7.4 percent lower than the previous month but was 9.8 percent higher than August 2014. Frozen pork exports totaled 53,562 MT, which was 5.7 percent lower than the previous month but was 5.3 percent higher than August 2014. U.S. pork variety meat exports during August rose 7.2 percent over the previous month but fell 31.1 percent from August 2014 to 27,110 MT. Year-to-date pork variety meat exports totaled 261,959 MT, which was 15.6 percent below a year ago. U.S. pork exports to Mexico during August increased 3.5 percent over the previous month to 59,312 MT. Total year-to-date pork exports to Mexico were 6.8 percent greater than last year, amounting to 465,215 MT. Mexico was the main U.S. pork export market with 33.6 percent of the total. During August, the U.S. exported 28,190 MT of pork to Japan, which was 13.2 percent less than the previous month. Year-todate pork exports to Japan totaled 282,399 MT, 13.4 percent lower than a year ago. Pork exports to Canada during August totaled 16,913 MT, which was 2.8 percent more than the previous month. Year-to-date pork exports to Canada were 5.8 percent lower than last year, amounting to 128,269 MT. Overall, U.S. total year-to-date exports of pork cuts and pork variety meats equaled 1,383,248 MT, 4.8 percent less than the corresponding period a year ago.

U.S. beef and veal imports during August totaled 104,726 MT. This was 9.3 percent higher than July and was 27.0 percent higher than August 2014. Specifically, fresh, chilled beef imports equaled 39,700 MT, which was up 19.4 percent over the previous month and was up 20.3 percent over August 2014. Frozen beef imports equaled 60,920 MT, which was up 6.5 percent over the previous month and was up 30.7 percent over August 2014. During August, the U.S. imported 45,658 MT of beef from Australia, which was 26.1 percent higher than the previous month. Total year-to-date beef imports from Australia equaled 306,030 MT, 53.1 percent greater than a year ago. Australia was the largest provider of beef to the U.S. with 37.1 percent of the total imports. Imports of beef from New Zealand during August fell 22.2 percent from the previous month to 15,873 MT. Year-to-date beef imports from New Zealand were 16.8 percent more than last year, amounting to 182,559 MT. During August, the U.S. imported 21,396 MT of beef from Canada. This was 37.9 percent higher than the previous month. Year-todate beef imports from Canada totaled 141,003 MT, which was 6.3 percent higher than last year. Overall, U.S. total year-to-date beef and veal imports equaled 823,988 MT, which was 31.1 percent above the corresponding period a year ago. During August, the U.S. imported 39,749 MT of pork. This was down 3.7 percent from the previous month but was up 10.9 percent over August 2014. Imports of fresh, chilled pork equaled 24,939 MT, which was 5.3 percent higher than the previous month and was 21.3 percent higher than August 2014. Imports of frozen pork equaled 10,656 MT, which was 15.4 percent higher than the previous month but was 5.1 percent lower than August 2014. Pork imports from Canada during August totaled 31,135 MT. This was down 6.8 percent from the previous month. Total year-to-date pork imports from Canada were 21.2 percent more than last year, amounting to 245,257 MT. Canada was the main supplier of pork to the U.S. with 78.6 percent of the total imports. During August, the U.S. imported 2,013 MT of pork from Denmark, which was down 16.1 percent from the previous month. Year-to-date pork imports from Denmark equaled 19,243 MT, 18.2 percent lower than a year ago. Overall, U.S. total year-to-date pork imports equaled 312,194 MT, 17.6 percent greater than the corresponding period a year ago. Additional U.S. trade data can be found on the FAS website http://www.fas.usda.gov/gats/.